Nissan BladeGlider

I was stunned when I first saw Nissan BladeGlider.This car resembles revolutionary Nissan-powered DeltaWing race car,but I have seen nothing before and this vehicle might send you over the edge.

That’s because the BladeGlider you see here, which is bound for the 2013 Tokyo auto show, co-opts the same oddball-but-effective design concepts that made the DeltaWing so unique and mixes them with an electric powertrain and a possible production future.

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That’s right, Nissan says this extreme-looking EV is an “exploratory prototype of an upcoming production vehicle.” We’ll come right out and say it: It sure is a good thing that the BladeGlider is less, uh, interesting-looking than the DeltaWing, a car we’ve previously described as looking like a “sex toy on wheels.”

Similarities with DeltaWing

Like the DeltaWing, the BladeGlider features a radical chassis layout that incorporates an extra-narrow front track and a super-wide rear track to accomplish impressive aerodynamic performance. The tiny frontal area reduces drag, while a complex system of underbody diffusers manages to add just enough downforce to keep the car on the road. For those wondering how the BladeGlider changes direction with those skinny, close-quartered front wheels, which carry just 30 percent of the car’s weight. Unlike the DeltaWing, the BladeGlider wears as normal a shape as we imagine possible given the restrictive chassis layout. Instead of looking like a four-wheeled colonoscope, it essentially is a three-dimensional wedge, its glider-inspired shape triangular in both cross-section and plan.

This, of course, makes the roadster actually pretty cool-looking. In contrast to the DeltaWing race car, the BladeGlider features near-real-world practicality thanks to a pair of passenger seats mounted behind the centralized pilot’s chair.

Interior

The interior is especially neat, and is accessible via a set of upward-swinging semi-butterfly doors. Facing the driver is an aircraft-style control yoke/steering wheel and futuristic-looking blue-tinted displays. The rear seats appear to be embedded into the BladeGlider’s carbon-fiber chassis tub, Like LaFerarri's.

BladeGlider features aircraft-inspired controls and the computers can display relief maps and atmospheric conditions to aid efficiency while driving.

In this early concept form, Nissan says it envisions powering the BladeGlider with one hub-mounted electric motor on each rear wheel. The independently powered rear wheels allow for torque-vectoring capabilities, as well as improved vehicle packaging. Our guess is that if this car ever were to reach production, the in-wheel motors might be among the first things to be tossed. Regardless, the electric motors are fed by a lithium-ion battery pack that Nissan describes as being similar in design to the unit in the production Leaf.

No problems with speed

Almost all all-electric cars have problems with speed, but not this car.

According to the developers, a unique electric car will have an awesome handling at speeds up to 200 km/h and accelerates 0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds (as a prototype was taken Nissan ZEOD RC).

Moreover, the developers promise that Nissan BladeGlider will become the etalon for all the other manufacturers of sports cars. The explanation is pretty simple: machine design - front track width is only 1000 mm, rear - 1800 mm, weight distribution - 30/70. Batteries are placed along the bottom and feed two electric motors.

In Nissan BladeGlider used quite rare racing formula 1+2 - the driver sits in the center and two passengers on the right and left back seats. However, such formula is not new and has already been used for McLaren F1 supercar, Locus Plethore and W3 Triposto

Price

Despite the fact that Nissan BladeGlider has full carbon body, it will cost around $ 50,000

Well, it sounds like a really great offer cause Tesla Model S starts from $ 62,400 and it would be nice to buy something as good as Tesla S for lower price.

However, as so often happens, price may be much higher when BladeGlider will be available on sale, but we'll remain enthusiastic over a major automaker working to bring something this out-there to customers.